Pakistani authorities continue to deny permission for the relatives of jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan to meet him, amid claims that there is a “deliberate attempt to hide his condition and prevent family from knowing whether he is safe.”
On Friday, one of the sisters of Khan, Aleema Khan, filed a contempt of court petition in the Islamabad High Court against the Adiala Jail superintendent and others for not being allowed to meet the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader.
The authorities continue to claim that the incarcerated leader has been given all possible facilities in the prison. However, they say that the demand to meet Khan in person inside the prison is in violation of the prison manual.
Khan has been incarcerated in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since August 2023.
So, what do the prison rules in Pakistan say about family members and other meeting prisoners?
According to Dawn, all prisoners in Punjab jails are allowed to meet five people, including their relatives and lawyers. They are also allowed to have 30 minutes of phone time a week. These provisions are even extended to condemned prisoners.
Jail authorities reportedly conduct the ‘automatic monitoring’ of the phone conversations of prisoners. This would mean that they can, whenever deemed necessary, listen to any communications made by those who are incarcerated.
These meetings are contingent on the “prisoners’ behaviour.” This would mean the provision for meetings is subjective. So, the prison authorities can decide if a prisoner’s behaviour has been good.
“According to rules, the decision whether or not to allow an incarcerated or under-trial prisoner access to his/her lawyers or relatives was at the discretion of the concerned jail superintendent,” Dawn quoted a retired prison department officer as saying.
Political prisoners are kept in special cells, and they have strict security. Rules stipulate that the political prisoners need to undergo a medical check-up to ensure that they are healthy.
Besides, the visitation rights of political prisoners can be suspended by the government if there is a concern that the meeting could lead to unrest outside.
Parliamentary Secretary Barrister Danyal Chaudhry maintained that prison meetings are allowed only under judicial orders.
